PROJECT DESCRIPTION

PennDOT is rehabilitating and re-decking two deteriorated bridges carrying U.S. 202 over Amtrak rail lines, Dunwoody Drive and the eastbound U.S. 30/Exton Bypass ramp to U.S. 202 north at the southern end of the U.S.202/U.S. 30 Interchange, and replacing the deteriorated concrete pavement on the U.S. 30/Exton Bypass ramps to and from U.S. 202 in East and West Whiteland townships, Chester County. The project also includes

Construction of a retaining wall on Dunwoody Drive to support the bridges’ southern abutments;

Installation and upgrades to electronic message signs along the U.S. 202 corridor; and

Rehabilitation of the Morstein Road Bridge over U.S. 202.

Construction of the Amtrak bridges will be completed in four stages (3A, 3B, 4A, 4B). Removal and replacement of the ramp pavement will be done in coordination with the bridge construction staging. See staging details here.

Two lanes of traffic in each direction are being maintained on U.S. 202 during construction utilizing the Express Lane concept of traffic maintenance. The Express Lane model places three lanes of barrier-separated traffic — two lanes in one direction and a single lane in the other— on one of the bridges. Concrete barrier is placed on the other bridge, with the second lane remaining on the structure, behind concrete barrier, while the other half of the bridge is rebuilt.

Once half of the bridge is rebuilt, the single lane is shifted onto the rebuilt side behind barrier while the other half of the span is rebuilt. When one bridge is finished, the pattern is reversed, with three lanes placed on the new bridge while the opposite bridge is rebuilt in halves.

During removal and replacement of the ramp from U.S. 202 south to the eastbound U.S. 30/Exton Bypass, one of the two lanes at the ramp entrance will be closed. The concrete pavement on both ramp lanes and on the ramp from the Exton Bypass to US 202 north needs to be removed and reconstructed. The level of deterioration of the concrete on those ramps, which were built during construction of the Exton Bypass, was discovered too late to include this work in the recently completed Section 330 widening and reconstruction. The ramp concrete deteriorated faster than expected due to a problem reaction (Alkali Silica Reaction) between the sand, stone and the cement that compose concrete. PennDOT has since taken steps to eliminate the occurrence of ASR in concrete that is used for various projects.

Section 300 Improvements

PennDOT in 2016 completed widening and reconstruction between the Route 401 and U.S. 30 interchanges (Section 330), opening U.S. 202 to six lanes -- three northbound and three southbound -- from Interstate 76 in Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, to the U.S. 30 Interchange in East Whiteland Township, Chester County.

Reconstruction and widening between the Swedesford Road/Route 252 Interchange and the Mill Lane overpass near Route 401 (Section 320) finished in late Septmber 2014, ending almost four years of work on this section. Motorists are now traveling on three through lanes in each direction in this northern construction corridor.

Prior to the start of Section 320, PennDO replace bridges over U.S. 202 to make room for widening of the expressway. Construction on the first stage of bridge replacements (Section 310) wrapped up in November 2008 with completion of the new Swedesford Road overpass, located between the Route 30 and Route 401 interchanges, and the new Church Road bridge, located immediately south of the interchange. A new Mill Lane overpass was opened to traffic late in 2007. The second phase of bridge replacements over Route 202 in Chester County wrapped up in 2010 with two new structures in place at the Route 29/Great Valley Interchange. New bridges at Route 29/Morehall Road and Swedesford Road, along with the opening of the new Cedar Hollow Road overpass and raising of the abandoned railroad overpass immediately to the north in 2009, round out the first (Section 310) and second (Section 311) phases of improvements that have been completed on schedule.

The bridges were replaced with longer structures to provide room for improvements that will take place on the expressway during the final two phases of the overall project to reconstruct Route 202 from North Valley Road, in Tredyffrin Township, to the US Route 30 Interchange in East Whiteland Township.

Project BackgroundSignificant growth in the region has increased traffic on US Route 202 to levels well beyond those that the two-lane highway originally was designed to handle. In fact, 73,000 vehicles a day now travel on this section of Route 202, and the improvements we have planned will help the highway carry its present and future traffic more efficiently.

Under the overall Section 300 project, PennDOT will utilize significant federal and state transportation funding, most of which is collected at the fuel pump and through licensing fees, to

Reconstruct Route 202's four existing travel lanes;

Add a third travel lane in each direction, utilizing the existing grass median;

Due to the large size of this project, Section 300 improvements will be completed under four separate contracts: Section 310, Section 311, Section 320, Section 330. Sections 310 and 311 have been completed.

Sections 310 and 311Bridge Replacements and Intersection Improvements

PennDOT rebuilt six bridges over Route 202 and modified a seventh, and completed improvements to two intersections in advance of work to widen and rebuild the main line expressway.

Section 310Replace three (3) bridges* over Route 202 at

Swedesford Road (South)

Church Road

Mill Lane

Improve two (2) Intersections

Phoenixville Pike/Route 401

Phoenixville Pike/Planebrook Road/ Swedesford Road

Start Construction: March 2007End Construction: Fall 2008

Section 311

Replace/modify four (4) bridges* over Route 202 at

Swedesford Road (North) near Route 29

Route 29

Cedar Hollow Road – New bridge on new alignment

Abandoned Rail Crossing north of Cedar Hollow Road - Modify and raise

Start Construction:February 2008End Construction: Summer 2010

Sections 320 and 330Main Line Reconstruction and Widening

Section 320 - North End Reconstruction and Widening

Reconstruct and widen Route 202 to three lanes each direction for 4 miles between the Valley Creek bridge (between Route 29 and Route 401 interchanges) and North Valley Road;

Reconstruct and widen Route 202 to three lanes in each direction for 2.5 miles between the Valley Creek bridge to Route 30/Exton Bypass Interchange;

Modify Route 202 bridges over Planebrook Road;

Replace Route 202 bridge over Chester Valley Trail and Route 401;

Modify on and off ramps at Route 401 Interchange and install traffic signals;

Widen Route 401 for left turn lanes at the Route 202 interchange;

Modify eastbound Route 30 ramp to northbound Route 202;

Construct noise walls at eligible locations;

Improve storm water management system; and

Construct park and ride lot at Route 30 and Route 322 (Caln Township)

Start Construction: 2013End Construction: 2016

Project Brochures, Newsletters PennDOT will publish information about ongoing and upcoming work periodically during construction on Route 202. To receive these publications in the mail, go to Request Publications and fill out the on-line form to be added to the mailing list. Copies of all publications also will be available on-line as PDFs.